Audra Mae lives in Texas, but she was born in Seattle, so she complains a lot about weather. That's not important. What is important is that she was raised on books, which showed her worlds of possibility and characters to revere and emulate. Particularly strong girls like Hermione Granger, Aerin of The Hero and the Crown, and later in life, the women of Sabriel and Lirael and, most beloved, Tiffany Aching of The Wee Free Men.

She believes that strong role models in books help us know who we are and who we can be, in the best of senses, and open our eyes and hearts to other people. Books are friendship-makers and world-shakers. Even if not thrown at someone's head, books are formidable weapons.